Bottom casting method



Feb. 13, 1968 J. WOODBURN, JR ,3

BOTTOM CASTING METHOD v Original FilecLJuly 29, 1959 7 Sheets -Sheet l-INVENTORS. 1

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Feb. 13, 1968 4. WOODBURN, JR 3,368,608

BOTTQM CASTING METHOD '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 29, 1959INVENTORS.

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BOTTOM CASTING METHOD 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed July 29, 1959INVENTORS.

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BOTTOM CASTING METHOD Feb. 13, 1968 ori inal Filed July 29, 1959 fimesgr @Wc iW/ Feb. 13, 1968 J. WOODBURN, JR 3,368,608

BOTTOM CASTING METHOD 7 Sheets-Sheet Oriflnal Filed July 29, 1959INVENTORS- F 13, 1963 J. WOODBURN, JR 3,368,608

' BOTTOM CASTING METHOD r gin l Filed uly 22, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVEN TORS 9 36 fames I Wwdflurn Feb. 13, 1968 J. WOODBURN, JR

BOTTOM CASTING METHOD 7- .Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed July 29, 1959 haQ 8% $3 9% United States Patent Office 3,368,608 Patented Feb. 13, 19683,368,608 BQTTGM CASTING METHQD Blames Woodburn, Jr., Wheaten, Ill.,assignor to Amsted Industries Incorporated, Chicago, 111., a corporationof New Jersey Continuation of application Ser. No. 279,682, May 7, 1963,which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 122,061, June 30, 1961,which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 83%,428, July29, 1959. This application Mar. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 532,452

2 Claims. (El. 164-130) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE In a bottom pressurecasting arrangement a plurality of elongated molds are moved intoproximity with a ladle of molten metal having a pouring tube open at thetop and extending downwardly into the molten metal. The molds areprovided with an ingate arrangement which is engagea'ble with thepouring tube upon combined rotational and translational movement of themold.

This application is a continuation of abandoned application Ser. No.279,682, filed May 7, 1963, as a continuation of abandoned applicationSer. No. 122,061, filed June 30, 1961, as a continuation of applicationSer. No. 830,428, filed July 29, 1959, now also abandoned.

This invention relates to the production of metal articles, such assteel billets, blooms, or slabs, in pieces of desired cross-sectionaldimensions and weights, directly from the molten metal and without theuse of a primary mill.

According to prior art practices, steel ingots have been cast and storedin soaking pits. Such ingots have then been reheated, if necesary, andhave been hot rolled in a primary mill to elongate the casting andreduce its crosssectional area thereby forming a bloom having a lengththree or more times its maximum cross-sectional dimension and having across-sectional area not substantially in excess of 120 square inches.The blooms have then been rolled to form billets having across-sectional area not substantially in excess of 36 square inches andhaving a length three or more times the maximum cross-sectionaldimension. Sometimes ingots are rolled by a primary mill into oblongslabs having a cross-sectional area of the order of from 48 squareinches to 360 square inches and having a length three or more times themaximum cross-sectional dimension. Such billets and slabs have then beenrolled to form commercial products, such as rods, tubes and sheets.

Previous prior art attempts to eliminate ingots and the necessity forsoaking pits by casting blooms, billets (including tube rounds), and/ orslabs on a commercial basis have been unsuccessful, and according to theinvention, it has been discovered that such blooms, billets (includingtube rounds), and/or slabs can be cast by bottom pouring into anelongated graphite mold and can be rolled into commercial products.

For the purpose of this specification and claims, a bloom is herebydefined as a steel article having a substantially uniformcross-sectional area not substantially in excess of 120 square inchesand a length three or more times its maximum cross-sectional dimension;a billet (including a tube round) is hereby defined as a steel articlehaving a substantially uniform cross-sectional area not substantially inexcess of 36 square inches and a length three or more times its maximumcross-sectional dimension, and a slab is hereby defined as a steelarticle having a substantially uniform oblong cross-sectional area offrom 48 square inches to 360 square inches and having a length three ormore times its maximum cross-sectional dimension.

A primary object of this invention is to eliminate the necessity of theingot and the primary rolling operations to form blooms, billets andslabs which can be subsequently rolled into commercial shapes such asrods, plates, tubes or sheets.

A further object of the invention is to eliminate the necessity forconditioning the surface of primary mill products and to minimizeconditioning of billets.

Yet another object of the invention is to increase yield by eliminatingthe step of cutting primary mill products into suitable lengths forsubsequent rolling.

Another object of the invention is to devise apparatus for handlingmolds before and after pouring.

Still another object of the invention is to devise an effective andefiicient means for cutting off communication between a mold gate andthe source of molten metal when the mold has been filled.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from a consideration of the following specification andthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of theinvention utilized in the pouring of a conventional mold;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan View of the novel apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view taken from the ri ht of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of a novel mold assembly;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of FIG- URE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of the novel mold assembly;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary view partly in section on line 9-9 of FIGURE6;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view of the support means for thecut-01f power device;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view on line 11-11 of FIG- URE 10;

FIGURE 12 is an end elevational view taken from the left of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 13 is a top plan view of the cut-off slide sup- P FIGURE 14 is asectional view on line 14-14 of FIG- URE 13;

FIGURE 15 is a top plan view of the cut-off slide;

FIGURE 16 is a sectional view on line 16-16 of FIG- URE 15;

FIGURE 17 is a top plan view of the cut-off insert against which themold gate seats;

FIGURE 18 is a sectional view on line 18-18 :of FIG- URE 17;

FIGURE 19 is a side elevational view of a novel billet mold assembly tobe utilized with the apparatus of FIG- URES 1l8;

FIGURE 20 is a sectional view on line 20-20 of FIGURE 19;

FIGURE 21 is a top plan view of the bottom or drag mold frame shown inFIGURES l9 and 20;

FIGURE 22 is a bottom plan view of the top or cope mold frame shown inFIGURES l9 and 20; and

FIGURE 23 is a sectional view on line 23-23 of FIG- URE 21.

In each of said figures, certain details may be omitted in the interestof clarity where adequately shown in other views.

Describing the invention in detail, a mold assembly generally designated2 (FIGURE 1) comprises a mold 4 which may be of a chill material, suchas graphite or of any other desired ceramic material well known in theart, such as sand or shell. The mold 4, as illustrated, is not a billetmold and it will be understood, as hereinafter described, that a moldfor a bloom, a billet, or a slab must be formed of blocks of graphite,although other elongated articles not requiring subsequent rolling maybe cast in other types of molds utilizing other features of the invention. The assembly 2 also comprises a car 6 to which the mold 4 may beclamped by conventional clamps 7 or by force of gravity. The mold 4 andcar 6, during a pouring operation, as hereinafter described, movetogether as a unit or assembly 2 and may be interconnected in anydesired manner.

The car 6 comprises wheels 8 which roll on tracks 10 and also comprisesa cut-off or gate closing device generally designated 12. The cut-off 12is best seen in FIG- URES 6*8 and 13-18, and includes a slide support 14having an opening or hole 15 with a bushing 16 (FIGURE 7) which may beof any desired material such as graphite, baked clay or shell. The slidesupport 14 has a cut-out or slot 18 (FIGURE 13) partly defined by aninner edge 20 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A slide or plate 22 preferably of cast iron, copper or any other desiredchill material is slidably mounted on the support 14 and comprises anopening or aperture 24 having a bushing 26 similar in form andcomposition to bushing 16. The slide 22 is supported within a channel 28(FIGURE 14) of the support 14 and is seated along a surface 30 thereofimmediately below shoulders or ledges 32 which define another channel 34within which is positioned a loose insert 36 (FIGURES 6-7 and 17l8)which is complementary to and removably mounted in an opening 38 of atop plate or panel 49 of the car 6.

The support 14 is releasably interlocked with the panel 40 by means ofears 42 on the support having apertures 44 within which are receivedlugs 46 on the underside of panel 40. The lugs 46 are slotted to receivewedge keys 48 which are driven to locking position shown in FIGURE 9 andwhich may be quickly removed by an impact against the small ends of thekeys 4-8.

The insert 36 is provided with an opening or aperture 50 having abushing 52 (FIGURE 7) similar in form and material to bushings 16 and26, whereby when apertures 15, 24, and 60 are aligned, they define acontinuous passage for the flow of molten metal into a gate 54 (FIG- URE7) of the mold 4.

The assembly 2 rolls along tracks 10 until one wheel strikes aretractible stop 56 (FiGURE 4) pivoted at 55 to an ear 57 on one railsegment lila to locate the apertures 15, 24, and 50 in verticalalignment with the top of a pouring tube 58, the lower end of whichcommunicates with a source of material (no-t shown) to be cast, such asa ladle of molten metal. Under these conditions, the wheels 8 aresupported by rail segments 10a which are separable from rails 18 andvertically movable.

The segments 10a are supported by a frame 65) which is in turn supportedat its corners, as by conventional worm gear screw jacks 62 operativelyconnected to a reversible electric motor 64. The jacks are mounted onfoundation-supported beams 66 (FIGURES 3 and 4) and raise or lower theframe 60 in response to rotation of the armature shaft 68 of motor 64 inone direction or the other. The frame 60 is guided by rollers 73*(FIGURES 2 and 3) which are mounted on the frame and which engagevertical foundation-supported beams 72. The car the support 14 isclamped by force of gravity or by other means (not shown) against thetapered portion of tube 53 to afford a substantially air-tight sealbetween the tube and the support 14, whereupon the metal in which thetube 58 is immersed is pressurized (as for example in the mannerdisclosed by US. Letters Patent No. 2,847,- 739 issued Aug. 19, 1958, toE. Q. Sylvester) to flow the metal upwardly through apertures 15, 24 and5t? and gate 54 until the mold has been filled. Tilting of the car 5during pouring is limited by lugs 75 (FIGURE I) mounted on the top ofbrackets 114, hereinafter described.

After the mold has been filled the slide 22 is actuated, as hereinafterdescribed, to cut-off flow of molten metal through the gate, whereuponpressure on the molten metal is released, the rail segments Illa areelevated to mating relationship with rails 19, and the assembly 2 isrolled along the rails past the stop 56 which has previously beenpivoted to inoperative position. The stop 56 is then pivoted tooperative position and another assembly 2 is rolled into position andpoured as heretofore described.

The manner in which the cut-off 12 is actuated can best be seen inFIGURES 8 and 10l2, wherein it will be seen that when the assembly 2 issupported on top of the tube 58, a power device 73 mounted on a cover 30of a chamber or tank Si containing the molten metal is disposed betweenthe slide 22 and an abutment 82 depending from the underside of panel 4iso that actuation of the device 78, as by hydraulic or pneumaticpressure, to expand the device 78 axially thereof causes a cylindermember 34 of the device 755 to engage the abutment 82 and a ram orpiston member 86 of the device 78 to engage the cut-off slide 22.

The device 78 has a limited stroke and at the end of said stroke, theslide 22 is at a position whereat its aperture 2 i is beyond edge 20 ofthe support 14, whereupon molten metal in aperture 24, is dumped throughslot 13 so that the bushing 26 need not be replaced for each pouringoperation. Also release of pressure on the mollen metal in the tank 31dumps the metal in bushing 15 so that it need not be replaced for eachpouring operation.

The device 78 is afforded a floating support so that, upon actuationthereof, the forces developed by the device 78 to actuate the cut-otl 12to closed position are selfcontained within the assembly 2. This novelsupport comprises a bracket 38 mounted on top of the cover as by weldingat 90. The bracket comprises a V-shaped channel 92 within which acomplementary slide 94 is positioned. The cylinder member 84 is clampedinto the slide 94 by clamp rollers 98 on levers lltltl pivotallyfulcrumed at 102 to the slide 94 and actuated by a compression clampingspring 194. The bottom of slide 94, comprises a pin 1116 extendingthrough an elongated slot 168 of the channel 92 and connected to analigning tension spring liliwhich upon release of the device '78 urges acollar 109 of cylinder member 84 against a stop plate 111 attached tobracket 88, thereby yieldingly holding the cylinder member 84 in properalignment with the space between slide 22 and abutment 82 as theassembly 2 is lowered to or raised from the position shown in FIGURE 8.

Upon energization of device 78, as heretofore described, the slide 94permits enough axial movement of the device 78 so that the forcesdeveloped thereby are self-contained within assembly 2 and substantiallyno reactive forces are transmitted to bracket 88 or cover 80.

Upon removal of cylinder 84 from the clamps 98, which can beaccomplished by manually lifting the cylinder to compress spring 104,the spring Ill-i is held in position upon bosses 112 of levers 1% by aslight force provided by a tension spring 113 connected to the lowerends of levers 100.

It may be noted that the cover 80 may be clamped to the top of itscontainer 81 by clamp means (not shown) mounted on foundation-supportedbrackets 114, and the rail segments 19a may be manually removed from andreplaced upon the frame 60 to accommodate insertion and removal of thecover 80 and a ladle (not shown) of molten metal into which the tube 58extends. The construction of the container 81, the ladle (not shown),the cover :80 and tube 58 is per se no part of the present invention andmay be of the type in said US. Letters Patent, or if desired may be ofany other desired construction and arrangement, with the tube mounted onthe cover or elsewhere in communication with the molten metal in thecontainer 81.

It should be noted that bushings 16, 26, and 52 are flanged at theirupper ends so that in their aligned position shown in FIGURE 7, theflange of bushing 16 engages slide 22, the flange of bushing 26 engagesinsert 36 and the flange of bushing 52 engages the mold 4 around itsgate 54.

Referring now to FIGURES 19 to 23, which show a modification of theinvention, a novel billet mold assembly 116 is disclosed for the castingof steel billets which can be rolled (without any intermediate formingstep such as forging or blooming) into commercial products such as wireor rods.

The mold assembly 116 comprises a top frame 117 defined by longitudinalside channels 118 welded to transverse angles 120 and 121. A cope 122formed of one or more graphite cope blocks 124 is clamped against angles120 and 121 by clamp bars 126 and bolt and nut assemblies 128. The copeblocks 124 are also clamped by a clamp bar 130 and bolt and nutassemblies 132 (one of which is shown at the left of FIGURE 19) againstan abutment angle 134 welded or otherwise secured to the frame channels118.

The mold assembly .116 also comprises a bottom frame 136 defined bylongitudinal side channels 138 welded to longitudinal angles 104 andtransverse angles 141 and 143. A drag 142 formed of one or more graphitedrag blocks 144 is seated against the angles 140 and is clamped by aclamp bar 146 and bolt and nut assemblies 148 (one of which is shown atthe left of FIGURE 19) against an abutment angle 147 welded or otherwisesecured to frame 136.

The frames V117 and 136 are interconnected by readily releasable means,such as bolt and nut assemblies 149 to clamp the cope 122 and drag 142together to define a casting cavity 151 in the shape of a conventionalbillet between 2-0 and 30' feet in length and approximately square incross-section, measuring between 2 and 6 inches on a side.

The upper end of the assembly 116 is provided with a block 148a ofgraphite having an opening 150' connected to cavity 151 and to a risercavity 152 of another graphite block 14812 clamped on top of block 148aas by bolt and nut assemblies 153 one of which is shown at the left ofFIGURE 19.

The lower end of the cope 122 is provided with a graphite block 152ahaving a gate 155 connected to the lower end of the cavity 151 and toapertures 15, 24 and 50 (FIGURE 7) of the cut-off 12 on a car 2asubstantially identical with the car 2 previously described except thatthe car 2a preferably has only one pair of wheels 8a because the drag142 is pivotally supported at its opposite end by a pivot bar 154 weldedto channels 138 and pivotally mounted in a V-shaped channel 156 of a car158 having wheels 160 mounted on the rails 10. The rail segments a andtheir elevating and lowering mechanism, as well as the pouring andcut-off mechanism, are disclosed in- FIGURES 1 to 18, and are not shownin detail in FIG- URES 19 and 21.

Thus, it will be understood that when the rail segments 10:: are loweredto connect the gate 155 with the pouring tube 58, as heretoforedescribed, a pivoting action takes place between assembly 116 and railsegments 10:: by means of wheels 80, and also pivoting action takesplace between car 158 and assembly 116 by means of pivot bar 154.

In actual practice, billets and slabs have been poured at a metal flowrate of about 65 pounds per second. These billets were approximately 30feet in length and were square in cross-section, approximately 3% incheson a side. The cope 122 and drag 142 forming the mold in which suchbillets were cast were formed of graphite blocks machined on theirmating surfaces as seen in FIGURE 20 to define the mold cavity 151. Thegraphite produces a very fine dendritic structure at the surface of thecasting, and according to the invention, it has been discovered thatgraphite is a critical mold material for pressure pouring of productssuch as blooms, billets, or slabs which are to be rolled; however, forother elongated castings other mold materials can be used.

In a mold having a cavity of about 30 feet in length or more, thelongitudinal axis of the mold is preferably at an angle of the order of24 or less with respect to horizontal.

If desired, the blocks 148a and 1481) may be eliminated, and the upperend of cavity 151 may be closed by a gas-permeable chill which issubstantially impermeable to flow of molten steel therethrough, so thatthere is no need to cut a riser from the top of the billet. Such a chillmay be formed of graphite with holes therethrough of the order of A;inch or less in diameter.

Also, if desired, the top of the mold can be closed after pouring by acut-off mechanism 12 such as heretofore described.

It should be noted that the flow rate of the molten steel must be lessthan that at which turbulence occurs 1n the mold cavity and subject tothat limitation should be as fast as possible.

I claim:

1. A method of pressure casting metal articles in successive elongatedmolds comprising the steps of positionmg each of said successiveelongated molds in an inclined position with respect to the horizontalso as to have the pouring end of said elongated mold lowermost,successively guiding each mold to the pouring station in a manner so asto present said pouring end of said mold above said pouring station at asubstantial distance there from, coupling said pouring end of said moldto said pouring station by rotating the pouring end of said moldgenerally about the other end of said mold and at the same time movingsaid mold in a linear direction thereby effecting both rotation andtranslation of said mold, filling the mold with metal, rotating thepouring end of said mold back to its original position, guiding thefilled mold away from said pouring station to a suitable cooling area,and repeating the steps with the next succeeding mold.

2. A method of pressure casting metal articles in successive elongatedmolds comprising the steps of successively aligning each mold with apouring station in a manner so as to position the pouring end of saidmold above said pouring station at a substantial distance therefrom,connecting said pouring end of said mold to said pouring station byrotating said mold so that said pouring end of said mold becomeslowermost and said elongated mold is in an inclined position withrespect to the horizontal, filling the mold with metal, rotating thepouring end of said mold back to its original position, separating thefilled mold and said pouring station, and repeating the steps with thenext succeeding mold.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,119,242 5/1938 Flammang et al164-119 2,131,955 10/1938 Johnson 164-311 3,015,863 l/l962 Strom ct al164-337 J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

R. S. ANNEAR, Assistant Examiner.

